Man found not guilty of hiring men to beat up neighbor

A Hamilton County judge has found a man not guilty of hiring two men to beat up his neighbor.

Judge Norbert Nadel announced his verdict against Robert Fritzsch on Wednesday morning.

Fritzsch, 58, of Mount Lookout, was facing charges of Retaliation, Complicity and Felonious Assault. Prosecutors said he hired two men to beat up Thomas Nies, Jr. outside of his own home in front of his children. As a result, Nies suffered a concussion and other serious injuries.

Judge Nadel found Fritzsch not guilty on all three counts.

Police say Lee Robinson, 31, and James Calloway, 34, planned the assault but did not actually participate. The two men were previously charged with one count of Felonious Assault and one count of Extortion for planning the attack and trying to extort more money from Fritzsch.

Fritzsch and Nies had a pending civil suit in Hamilton County involving a real estate dispute, which is believed to be the motive.

Dozens of runners/walker met in Cincinnati on Saturday to raise money for a good cause. Participants dressed up in gorilla suits to raise funds for the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund.Full Story >

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